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I hopefully fixed my putting problems

Hacker

Hacker

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All year long I have had problems making putts. I have never been the greatest putter, but generally better than I have been this year. I was watching the PGA championship and I noticed that most of the guys were standing farther away from the ball than I do. I think that I stand pretty close. Well, my last 2 rounds I have stood farther away and it really seems to feel more comfortable. My arms just feel to swing much smoother standing away from the ball. I made a bunch more putts than I have all year.
It has been really frustrating this year because I have been hitting my drives better than ever and my irons have been solid as well. I just could never make any putts. But that is going to change (I hope)!

Do you guys stand farther away and is this what you are supposed to do?
 
Hacker said:
Do you guys stand farther away and is this what you are supposed to do?
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I am sure everyone will have their own thoughts on where to stand. In my opinion there are several factors on taking a putting stance. I want a stance that enables me to see my line as a straight line. People that use a line on the ball often say that the line looks straight when the line up their putt but appears to point left or right when they get over the ball. When I get in my stance the line still appears to be in line. Everyone may have a different stance that is right for them. Some may be bent over and eyes over the ball while others like myself are more upright with ball outside my eyeline.

The bottom line is don't rely on what other people do. If standing farther away from the ball enables you to consistently roll the ball on your intended line, then by all means do it.
 
I am trying to do The same. I find when I'm a bit too close I pull my putts to the left (I'm right handed).
 
I hopefully fixed my putting problems

I sole my putter. Place my hands where they're hanging. And I address my ball so my eyes are just inside the ball. That's the SPi method and it's fantastic.
 
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airguard said:
I am trying to do The same. I find when I'm a bit too close I pull my putts to the left (I'm right handed).
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I was pulling some and then I would over correct and push some right. My arms feel really smooth standing farther away
 
Hacker said:
I was pulling some and then I would over correct and push some right. My arms feel really smooth standing farther away
Click to expand...

I just took a washer and tied a string to it. I would hold the string to the bridge of my nose between my eyes and see where it hung.
 
I've been dong this for over 35 years and have never been a good putter. On those rare days when I can keep my eyes still as I stoke the ball I am an adequate putter.

I try to get my eyes over or just inside the line but it is the movement that kills me.
 
I think distance away for me is more about how I see the line. You can do either effectively but some see the line better when they are over the ball some when they are standing farther away.
 
I have recently started leaning the putter forward, hands slightly in front of the ball. It seems to have vastly improved my distance control.
 
I made the same switch recently and it's helped a lot; standing further away. I also tend to putt with a slightly open stance; similar to my chipping. I started setting up my feet parallel to the target line and that's helped as well.
 
drp3434 said:
I made the same switch recently and it's helped a lot; standing further away. I also tend to putt with a slightly open stance; similar to my chipping. I started setting up my feet parallel to the target line and that's helped as well.
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That is exactly how I did it. Farther away with slightly open stance and it seems to work great. I will find out on Tuesday at my league if it continues to work.
 
Hacker said:
That is exactly how I did it. Farther away with slightly open stance and it seems to work great. I will find out on Tuesday at my league if it continues to work.
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I'm actually trying to eliminate my open stance :) but whatever works for you is what matters.
 
I do the opposite. I'm left-eye dominant and right handed, so for me the farther away I am from my target line, the more my brain will scream that I'm not lined up correctly. Instead I get almost on top of the ball and use a SBST stroke. It's the only way I've been able to be confident that I'm lined up correctly. I've tried standing farther away, and an arcing stroke and that farther-away alignment at address is just too hard to replicate with confidence for me.
 
I've always lined up close with my head almost over the ball to help me see whether my putter is making a straight stroke or whether I'm hitting off-center. Thinking about it now, my line always seems like it's aimed at the near-side of the ball (assuming a straight and flat putt). Maybe I'm getting too far over the ball. Next time out I'm going to try backing off a couple of inches and see if that helps anything.
 
Some of you who have seen me probably notice that I putt "chicken winged." I don't know that I'm too close or too far from the ball when I stand. But I had my putter fit to me so that everything was as it should be with my putting posture, so I've never had to really think about it.

Aside from true fundamentals of a working putting stroke, putting is more about comfort than anything else.

~Rock
 
going to be a ton of variations with putting so I don't know what is right or wrong nor do I think anybody can say what is imo. My over all game is not one of a mid/low capper but my putting is decent imo. I stand over the top ball more than most, I don't use a line, I also putt with bent arms. Very unconventional but like many players, even pros there are many unconventional swings and putting strokes anywhere we may look. Point is that I believe (especially putting) is very individual and that what is preferred by some or even many may not work for another. We all have to find our own putting stroke even if not the norm imo. The only true answer imo regardless what one may offer only lies within the individual.
 
I played Tuesday and I am still putting good with this new style (for me)! I made a 12 ft. Birdie and a bunch of other putts that I was missing all year long when I was standing closer.
 
I try to emulate jack's putting stance! Eye over ball with a slightly open stance!

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